


Take my sunshine away

by orphan_account



Category: Anthropomorfic, Anthropomorphism
Genre: Anthropomorphic, Character Death, Furry, M/M, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-02
Updated: 2012-09-02
Packaged: 2017-11-13 09:29:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/502008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The collie stood still in front of the closed casket for a few long moments, head bowed and hands folded in front of him as he murmured a few loving words, eyes tearing up as he withdrew the item from his breast pocket that had been tucked behind a white rose- and laying it atop various flowers and small trinkets, teeth clenched in an effort to break down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take my sunshine away

The rising sun shone through the thin fabric of too-thin, bleached-white bedroom curtains, the beams cutting through the cool, stale air like a hot knife would through butter. The collie sighed- the low, sad sound doing nothing to ease the ache in his chest as he twirled a delicate object between his thumb and forefinger.

The invasive light cast a certain softness to said object, creating a familiar glow that the collie remembered all too well. It was times like this that made him remember- times like this that he cherished. With an empty smile, the Collie easily slipped into a much-needed rest from a night of anguish and pain.

 

xxx

 

 _He’s home. He’s finally home...._ The Collie’s mind raced, releasing a happy yip-like noise from his throat, not paying attention to some of the looks he received from those around him as he half-limped, half-sprinted to the male that all but filled his vision.

Catching the overly excited canine was a cinch, given his height and size- And when he did so, he brought him upwards and off the ground, hugging him tightly into his chest  as his feathered arms wound around him.

Had he been a lesser man, he’d have been offended by the manner which he was embraced- But he wasn’t, and so he cherished the moment of needed closeness for the time it was offered. He felt whole again for the first time in _months_.

Setting him down, the avian smiled slightly, a taloned hand rising to stroke the collie’s head, reveling in the soft feel of the other male’s fur- a gesture that soon turned into a brief, but affectionate, ruffle. 

“I missed ya’.” Came the bird’s gravelly voice, strained slightly from disuse for a time. “Let’s go home, Puppy.” He murmured as the collie began to tear up, still clinging onto him as they left the airport- Not a thing on their minds but one another.

The ride home was brief, time-wise, but felt like an eternity to the pair. Another eternity not needed, though at least it was with each other.

Nervously, the collie began asking innocent questions, how the time away was, if anything memorable happened... But both of them could sense the underlying discomfort and awkwardness. They had been apart too long, and they were both more than eager to arrive home.

“Would you like anything special for dinner, Morgan?” The Collie questioned lightly, tail making an audible thumping sound against the leather seat backing behind him, one paw on the steering wheel as the avian exhaled a puff of smoke out of his slightly parted beak, leaking out of the window beside him from the suction of the air as the vehicle drove on. Morgan gave another genuine smile, tapping some ash off the end of his cigarette. “Nah, I think a bath is in order, though.”

 xxx

 

The collie smiled, then, mind wandering to pleasant thoughts and possible occurrences.

Upon pulling into the driveway, and then garage, the pair silently got out of the car, collecting the avian’s bags and dropping them onto the hardwood floor. “You painted.” Morgan stated idly, smiling at the new decor adorning his house.... No _, their_ house.

“I thought I would brighten up the place.” The collie responded, moving to wind himself around his feathered companion, breathing into his ear. “I hope you like it...” To which the avian nodded, arms once again winding his arms around the collie.

The night went on in relevant ease, quiet and uneventful as planned, but time well spent embraced by one another.

 

xxx

 

The much needed sleep had ended far too soon, with the nagging of a too-loud alarm causing him to rise from his slumber. The collie chose to lie there for a few moments; moments that felt like ages- before finally peeling himself from the mattress, slipping onto the cold hardwood floor and half-limping over to the bathroom to shower.

With the water temperature cranked up to the hottest possible, the canine remained mostly unfeeling, mindlessly washing himself and continuing to stand in the steady stream’s path for a while afterwards. Somewhere in his haze, he managed to get back to reality long enough to finish with his shower, groom and dry himself, and slip into a freshly pressed suit.

He paused there, noting dully that he should probably eat, but stood in his set position, gazing hopelessly into the mirror before him. He looked worn down, with a graying muzzle and sad, dark eyes. He picked up the delicate object from the previous night, having laid it on the counter before his shower, and tucked it into the breast-pocket of his suit jacket, making to stand straight and comb the longer fur atop his head before finally leaving the comfort of his home.

Half heartedly smiling at the neighbor, who returned the action with genuine concern, the collie slid into the front seat of his car, pausing when a familiar smell met his nostrils and bowing his head while taking in a shaky sigh, starting the vehicle and taking off.

 

xxx

 The rest of the brigade stood solemnly, the rain having picked up somewhere along the way and refusing to relent as if drawn to the cold and sad air the loomed, clinging to the members- but none more than the collie himself. He limped on and gave small smiles- all feigned, to those who greeted him; fellow war veterans and comrades of the late Morgan.

With a familiar flag stretched across a polished Maplewood coffin, several uniformed soldiers stood at a line alongside it, rifles at their sides as they stood impossibly straight. The funeral was a sad sight, and with the collie at the front of the party, along with Morgan’s parents and brother, the chaplain began to drone.

With a customary three-volley salute, the members of the brigade advanced one at a time to pay their respects, soldiers saluting and family members weeping. The casket remained closed, the remains of Morgan too far gone to make whole. The collie advanced last, the musical ‘taps’ played in the distance the only thing meeting his ears, the pelting rain having long been forgotten.

The collie stood still in front of the closed casket for a few long moments, head bowed and hands folded in front of him as he murmured a few loving words, eyes tearing up as he withdrew the item from his breast pocket that had been tucked behind a white rose- and laying it atop various flowers and small trinkets, teeth clenched in an effort to break down.

A feather, blue as the sky lay there in sharp contrast, easily drawing a straying eye even as the casket was lowered into its grave, the earth previously there being shovelled in as the funeral brigade began to disperse, a lone canid standing and simply watching for the duration, with a heavy heart and the weight of the world upon his shoulders, soaked to the bone.

 

**Author's Note:**

> A short snippet/drabble for a writing contest on a furry forum. I won second place.
> 
> The rules were to write something furry-related with the use of one specified object- A feather- for whatever I pleased.


End file.
